Chennai: Kodungaiyur police arrested a pharmacist who sold sleeping pills and cough syrup to youngsters without prescription for drug abuse Based on a tip-off by a juvenile who was caught using sleeping pills, police secured B Mohan (31) of Red Hills from his medical shop on Tuesday and seized 170 Nitravet tablets (17 strips) and 20 bottles of codeine phosphate and chlorpheniramine maleate syrup from his shop. Investigation revealed that he sold each strip worth Rs 50 for Rs 700 to youngsters without prescription for drug abuse. The youngster mixed the tablets in water to inject in veins to get high.

Nitravet tablets are prescribed for extreme sleep disorder while the syrup is a cough suppressant,” said police. He was remanded in judicial custody.